SAN ANTONIO – Freeman Coliseum Executive Director Derrick Howard announced several new COVID-19 prevention measures in a letter penned to the Bexar County Commissioners Court days ahead of the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo.
“We continue to work on educating ourselves on new and improved ways to be CDC compliant and beyond for the protection of our community,” Howard wrote in the letter.
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The upgrades include two new “grab-and-go” concession stands to cut down on lines and make purchases more efficient.
The coliseum also boosted its internet services, allowing for touchless transactions when paying for parking, ticketing or concessions.
Officials also installed air purification lighting in the coliseum’s air conditioning units, which Freeman officials said can kill the virus that causes COVID-19.
Temperature checks will be conducted at the door, and the coliseum will have 70 hand sanitizing stations available for use.
The letter, sent to the Commissioners Court on Tuesday, came one week after Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff asked organizers to postpone the rodeo. Wolff noted that Austin and Fort Worth canceled their rodeos and Houston postponed its rodeo because of the pandemic.
Despite the concerns, organizers plan to continue on with the event and have said that prevention measures implemented exceed current health guidelines.
The Stock Show & Rodeo is scheduled for Feb. 11 to 28, with the official rodeo kick-off on Friday, Feb. 12 at 7 p.m.